Composing With Chords

Casey Hulick; Adonica Spolum, Jon Boyle, Christine Dunleavy
chulick@ulster.net
Goshen Intermediate School

TI:ME Technology Areas Addressed:

Electronic Musical Instruments
Notation Software

Level:

Elementary

Class:

General Music

Equipment:

Computer/Projector/Screen Pencil/Manuscript Paper

Duration:

40 Minutes

Prior Knowledge and Skills:

Understanding of triads, harmonic and non-harmonic tones in creating a melodic line, rhythmic notation

MENC Standards Addressed:

MENC 4: Composing and Arranging Music within specified guidelines.
MENC 5: Reading and notating music.
MENC 6: Listening to, analyzing and describing music.
MENC 7: Evaluating music and music performances.

Materials:

projector/screen

Objectives:

Ability to compose a 2 bar melodic phrase based on a given chord. An awareness of how chords and melodic phrases can logically progress to create a theme. To learn how themes can be organized to create basic forms aka ABA.

Procedures:

Students are assigned a given chord and told to compose a two measure phrase using harmonic and nonharmonic tones (stepwise). Chords used are C, F, G7, C, Bb, C7 Phrases are collected and organized in the following progression C, F, G7, C, C7, F, Bb, C7, F, G7, C, F, G7 C The first and last 8 measures should match to create A B A form

Evaluation:

Ongoing throughout exercise

Items to Purchase:

Above materials and equipment

When budget should be submitted:

Depends on school district policy